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Apple: new apps can’t use UDIDs, must support Retina, 4” screens

Apple has announced on its developer website that starting May 1, the App Store will also no longer accept new apps or updates that access device-specific identifiers known as UDIDs. It’s been known for some time that Apple planned to phase out the use of UDIDs, replacing them with the new Advertising Identifier in iOS 6. On the same date, new apps and updates submitted to the App Store must be built for iOS devices with Retina displays, and must support the iPhone 5/iPod touch 5G four-inch displays, suggesting that Apple will emphasize larger and/or higher-resolution screens while downplaying smaller, lower-resolution ones.

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The softy developers weren’t complying with Apple’s wishes that they drop support for hardware preceding the iPod touch 3G & iPhone 3GS. Apple sent a “subtle” hit last year when they dropped support for the older hardware in their development suite.

Those crafty devs just kept an older version of the developer suite working and continued legacy support for older hardware BUT also angered many recent hardware buyers because their products didn’t have widescreen and retina iPad support because such features couldn’t be supported with the older suite…

So, Apple has decided to stop playing nice and is just telling them, you have to stop supporting ancient relics at the expense of our current hardware buyers.

In the long run, it’s the right move, I’ve seen a lot of devs refuse to update their apps for newer hardware precisely because of this. Now they have a choice: orphan their app until they are forced to pull it because it no longer runs on current devices, or support people who update more than once every 4 years. Frankly, as wonky as the app store economics are anyhow, I have no idea why devs worry about someone so adverse to spending money, but I’ve certainly seen my share of apps in that boat.

On the flip side, a LOT of older stuff is going to get pulled over the next year. As new hardware and iOS versions necessitate what would be minor updates, they simply won’t be able to justify the costs of redeveloping UIs and potentially completely recreating art assets for older apps.